Free Parking For Contractors Tabled By Allentown Authority

A plan to initiate a free permit for contractors who might have to park on sidewalks to perform "special services" was held in abeyance by the Allentown Parking Authority yesterday.

Two of the three authority members attending the meeting objected to issuing free parking permits. The third described the idea as a way to help the business community.

Watson Skinner and Charles Fletcher said they do not favor free permits and said they feel that certain people would misuse the permits.

"I think it opens a Pandora's box," Skinner said.

He said he could foresee people with U-Haul vehicles parking on the sidewalk.

Robin Kleckner, executive director, said the permit might be issued to a roofer or an installer of aluminum siding who has no place to park while on a job.

T. Anthony Iannelli, authority chairman, said he favors the free permit because it will aid the business community. He said the solution to the dilemma may be clarifying what constitutes special services.

Kleckner also reported that the authority is planning to provide permits at $30 a month to contractors so they don't have to feed parking meters at on- street sites where they work. She said the proposal came from contractors.

In another matter, she said a suggestion to convert meters so they can take dimes, nickels and quarters has been ruled out because the cost would be "very prohibitive." The meters take quarters only.

She announced that meter parking on the north and south sides of Hamilton Street between 4th and Penn streets will be timed to accommodate two-hour parking with 30-minute increments.

She also noted that providing parking for jurors at the 600 Linden garage is "going very, very smoothly."

A new brochure, "Be a Smarter Parker," will be made available to the public at business places and through authority mailings. It lists the various parking violations.